Closure



2 Sheets-Sheet l` INVENTOR J. G. McKl-:NNA

CLOSURE Filed June l0, 1940 JAY GOULD Mc/(TNNA 7776@ @0o- C? ATTORNEY5 Sept. 7, 1943.

Sept. 7, 1943. J, G `MQKENNA I 2,328,659

CLOSURE Filed June 10, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JA Y ULD Mc/(E'NNA BY t ' MMM f.

Patented Sept. 7, 1943 f 11NITEDy STATE-s y negli"ENTf'ioFrioEy f Jay Gould McKenna, Elkhart, Ind.,` assignorto `I p Safe Play Company, Inc., Elkhart, Ind., a cor# l v poration of Indiana Application June 1o, 1940, sexismo'. 3595314. nl D i 6 Claims; ;`(C1 9g\ 42) This invention relates to closures and more particularly to closures for vent openings in walls, roofs or the like.: A

' One object of the invention is to provide a cover for a wall opening which may be moved bodily awayY from the'wall 'to provide passages for ventilation or the like around allsides of the cover. Y l

Another object of theinvention is to provide a closure cover for a wall openingwhich is sub stantially-larger than the opening so as-to preventV ingress of rain or the like even when the cover is not tightly closed.

vide a cover for awall opening which is resiliently urged openandy which may be held closed orpartially closed by a tension member. According to one important feature the resilient opening means are so arranged asto` urge the coverfopen withk a. substantially constant force in all positions.

The above and other. objects, advantages, and

novelifeatures ofxthe inventionv willfbe apparent from the following description when read in connection with which:y y

Figure 1 is a sectionxthrough a closure embodying the invention;`

Figure 2is ani external perspective view; Ii-gu'rer 3 is an .enlarged partial section on the line 3-3 of Figurel; Y

Figure 4 is aV bottom view ofy Figure 3 with parts omitted; and l yFigure 5 is an enlarged detail .view showing the spring connection. 1 f

l In the form illustrated the invention is applied to a ventilator cover particularlyv adapted for use in house trailers or the like to be placed in a horizontal ceiling or roof portion thereof. It will be understood, however, that rthe invention is equally applicable to `vent'openings in the side walls'ofstructures asfor example, window openings and in other environments.

, In Lther'f'orm Ashownthe ventilator cover is applied to a wallindicated generally at l0 and comprising'upper and lower spaced portions having openings therein bounded byv a strip I2. A sheet metal liner,v Itis secured Vin the opening and isiormed with a horizontal flange "E6 adjacent the lower portionthereo At the upper portion of the opening *the `liner |14 is connected the accompanying drawings, in

`Still another object 0f the invention is to proi seal against the wallaround the opening.` `The cover iZZInay` be formed' offany desired material such as sheet metal or plastic and may, ifl desired, be'providedwith 'a' glazed centralportion. i

Within the cover anclaligne'd .with the Aflange 20 :there is provided a similarinturned iiange 25 by-Whichithe `cover is supported.; For this pur,- pose theilanges 2li and=26 are connected by'a vpantograph linkage shown asfcomprising four` sets of vpaired links 28; pivotedtogether intermediate their endsv at 30..One end of each link ispivoted to `one. of; the .ilangesZi'Land V26at 3.i,-and the opposite end carries a bolt ori-,the like lislidable in a slot 36 in one of A.the flangesq Aslshown, an identical linkage is `employedfon each of the four sides of ther'longitudinal ilangesalthoughj only two sets -offlinks could -besemployedffon oDDO- sit'esidesi'f desired. -Also as shown;V the pivots 30 are substantially in: the centerslof the links so that the cover will be maintained parallel to the Wall lilybutit is contemplated that by placing the pivotpoints at unequal distances fromA the, oppositeendsof; thelinks aA tilting motion of the cover as it; moves iaway from; the jwallecould be obtained.4

The cover,isfnormallyprged.away `frormn the Wall and for this purposetension"springsg'are providedY connecting the pivot points 32 and 3ft lyingon the same :flange Anydesired numberof these-tension springs maybe providedand will ,urge the linkage to a position suchthatthe cover will moveaway from the wall. d

Due to the-fact that tnelinkage changes its .angle as the cover ismoved-.the springs' 38 tend to` be more effectivefwhen the cover is, at a dis- .tance from thewall than when itis closely collar member i8.' ,-As best seenin `Figure 5 to a flanged colla-rA I8 terminating in an upturned iiange 20- extending completely around the opening. The opening and cover as shown, are rectangular andthe ila/nge 20'follows the shape of the opening at a slight distance outwardly from the edge thereof.

The-openingis adaptedto be covered by a dished cover member 22 larger insize than the openingT and having at its edge a sealing strip 24 shown as a tubular rubber member adapted to the-ends ofspring il) are'secu'redfin place by a strip v112 "overlyingjthey outermost coilofdthe 'n spring and bolted to the "collan member EB (onto ,the cover as the casemaybe.

The sp fngslll` are soadiusted asntonnd their neutral. position intermediate the innermost and outermost ,positions of` thei cover: .22.. With this y arrangement the springil "is under ycompression Iwhen the cover adjacentthe wall and .tends to .urge `the cover outwardly from the vwall at a time lwhen thegspringsSB areleastelective.. `When the cover rhas been movedto its extreme outer andV il position thefsprings `lll tendlto'urge the cover .tpvvfard the wall at` aftime when the springs 33 are mosteffective. 'IAhus vbetweenthe vspringsii a. substantially uniform force is exerted V on the cover.

is connected to a flanged piece 46 on the cover and extends through the opening in the Wall I0. If desired, a knob or handle may be attached to the chain 44. The chain 44 passes through a key hole opening in a channel shaped member 5i) n which extends across the opening in Wall lll and. ris secured to the flange I6. The opening is so" shaped that when the chain lies in the centrali portion thereof it may movefreely.longitudinally.. but when it is slid toward oneendiof the. open-4.

ing it will catch andhold the cover in any desired position- Preferably the opening in wall I0 is closed by a foraminous screen'52 lyingoverthe channel member 50 and having an openingtherein through which the chain 44 passes. The screen i is: held againstthe channel amemberl; 5U byl mean'slof.. a plate? 54.: bolted-:to'ithe lchannel member? and: clamping the Lscreen Lthe'reagainst and formedlwith. an 'opening :registering with the opening in-thechannel memben'f. f

i In use, thecover vv22.E may be ladjustedlto any desired 'posi-tion releasing andfreengagingf the chain .Mfand `will :thereafter remain -in .that posifV tion Luntil readjusted.I The Jcover. provides.'vent openings on alllsides of f the opningvirr thek Wall and insures: adequate ventilation regardless of the direction of motionofltheexternal air around the-cover. `Also Asince the cover: overles `the 4wall opening-toa verysubstantial extent it will pre- `ventingressgof rainy ori 'the like while permitting 2.. ventilation.; For use 1 on "everticaliwallsf the same is truev sinceth'e lcover itself WillpreventI direct ingress-of rainrom `any direction; while dripping While one embodiment of the.A nvention has been shown and described ir'rdetail-itlisto beunderstood' that this r`isffor the purposeioff-illustrationonly( and isfnotfto be -tak'xer-la`svv af denition of the scope of the invention, reference beinghad for this purpose- -to-y theappendediclaims.

prising acoveradapted tooverlie the opening and .Ofjwa'ter or the -like willhbefrprevented by the to-seatagainst the Wall around'the opening; pairs Y of linksflpivotedtogetherintermediatetheir ends and having their opposite-ends 'vpivotally Yconfnected to thewall and thecoverrespectively;two orsaid pivotal connections being formed to provide sliding* movement *substantially `parallel 'to the Wall, resilient-means connected to s aid linkageito urge `it'inadirection to -moveethe'cover away" from the Wall, arida tension member con;-

nected to the coverandvextendingthrough the y opening to vmove the cover ltoward thejvvall j g 2.k A closurewior an openingin a'walllcomprising a cover adapted to l overlie;the`op,e'ning and to seat yagainst thewallaround the openingjpairs of links pivoted together intermediate-theirgends and lhaving their TQDDQSi/eendspivotallyfconnectedto the Wall and .the cover-respectively, tWo

of said. v.pivotal connectionsV at -"the fends offthe v'links being, Aformed',...togprovide'l sliding `movement substantially parallel Lto the. walLresilient means connected to' said linkage to urge -it'irr a direction tot move the cover away-from the Wally an 'elastic Y, element acting. between` the, Wallk andtle cover tendingitorurgegthecover to a definite spaced position `from the; Wall; and atensionmember connected tothe cover and extendingthroughthe opening to move rthecover toward the Wail.

3. A closure for an opening 'inawallj comprising a cover adapted to overlie the opening and to seat against the Wall around the opening, pairs of links pivoted together intermediate their ends and having their opposite ends pivotally con- 5 nectedto the Wall and the cover respectively, two .7. .of said pivotal connections at the ends of the links being formed to provide sliding movement substantially parallel tothe Wall, resilient means connected tosaid linkage to urge itin a direction torn'ovetm cover 'away from the wall, an elastic elementconn'ected to the Wall and the cover to be compressed when the cover is adjacent the WellandV to beltensioned when the cover is at its maximum distance away from the Wall, and a tension member connected to the cover and extending throughv the opening to movethe cover towardithe Wall;-` f Ll. vA closure for an opening inlawall comprisg inga cover adapted to overlie the opening and .to seat. against: the wall around. theyopening pairs of f links pivoted together intermediate their fends and; having their Oppositetends pivotally :congnected to .the wall and the cover respectively; two of. said pivotal connections at the; ends@ of the the,- cover away from the-Wall, an equalizer sp1-ing n 30 'connected-to ,the coverv and wall tobecompressed certain" of the pivotal connections;resilientmeans to urge the .last Anamed'lpivotal .fconnectionslin a direction in the guide slotsltonmove rthefcov'r avrai/from the Wall; a compensatingrspringfzonnected to the cover and Wall to be'cornprssed When the'cover is adjacent the Wall=` and tensioned when the cover is remotefrom-thev'walL-'andla vtensionemember connected to'l' the "covert'o draw ittovva'rd.the'Wall.V 6. A vclosure for an opening inAaWall-.comprlsing an upstanding ilan'ge around'the lopenlngga cover'to overlie theopening and adapted-to' seat against the wall around'the iiangeypairs otfllnks vpivoted together ybe'tv'v'een their ends and pivotally connected at their-ends to 'the iiangef'andfthe cover, thei'lange and coverbeing formed/with guide slots to provide vfor sliding'movement of 'certain of the .pivotal connections, resilient -r'neans to urgeV the last named pivoi'al connections in a 'direction in 'the vguide slotstofmove the cover Yaway from the Wall, a?compensatingspring connected tothe `cover and Wall to ybe vcompressed when the cover is adjacent the vWall'and tensioned when the cover is' remote from' the Wall, a tension member connected to thecover to draw it toward jthe WalL'a'nd a member secured to thewall 'and cooperating with the tension member to-hold the cover in any'desired'positinf l Y' JAY G3 MCKENNA. 

